Where's the best place to buy sunglasses in Thailand?

[ghworker2010]

If I want to buy a real pair of rayban sunnies where should I go. 

 

In places like 'Central festival' can I presume higher prices bc they have huge rents to pay?

 

In Robinsons they have the smaller sunglass shops. Are they real or from China?

 

Any problem with fakes in either of these 2 options?

 

thanks

 

[Pilotman]

Any of the big malls and you will pay the going rate for genuine Raybans or any other designer brand. Expect to pay upwards of 3,500. 

[Lamkyong]

I THINK most brand names are made in China or off shore  some where

not dissing quality  of genuine brands

[ballpoint]

Sunglass Hut is an international chain, and has stores around Bangkok, including in Zen Central World, Central Chidlom, and Emporium.

https://th.sunglasshut.com/th/store-locator?city=Bangkok

[mtls2005]

Luxxotica controls the country and regional MSRPs quite dilligently.

 

Other than VAT back, you won't see much price difference. Maybe the odd sale here and there to control inventory but even that is frowned upon.

 

Ray-Ban does have a flagship store on Lazada. Some SKUs 20% off.

 

 

[jaiyen]

Big C do fantastic Polaroid glasses for 300 Baht. I have been using them for years. When I am flying my plane I have found them better than Ray Bans.

[Pilotman]

Just now, jaiyen said:

Big C do fantastic Polaroid glasses for 300 Baht. I have been using them for years. When I am flying my plane I have found them better than Ray Bans.

Never flew with anything but Ray Bans, clearer and sharper than anything else I could buy. 

[bkk6060]

Tukcom Pattaya 39 b.

[Jonnapat]

Ray Bans, overrated and grossly overpriced. 

Just paying for a name.

[elgenon]

I recommend Mangos. They are polarized. Look cool. MBK.

[elcaro]

35 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

Ray Bans, overrated and grossly overpriced. 

Just paying for a name.

Not true they are one of the only glasses with glass instead of plastic (with the added danger). Yes they are expensive, but look damn nice.

 

Wait for one of the sales to get 30-50% off.

 

One of my pairs the glass broke after standing on them and had to have the lens replaced. Had the most expensive polarized lens I could find and not even close to the quality of rayban

 

Edited July 14, 2019 by elcaro
Added experience I had

[madmen]

36 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

Ray Bans, overrated and grossly overpriced. 

Just paying for a name.

Nonsense they are first choice for aviators and not because tom cruise looked cool in them in top gun. They do a fantastic job at cutting out glare

[VBF]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Tukcom Pattaya 39 b.

You beat me to it!

I usually buy about 3 or 4 pairs there - some of them might be fake Rayban or other designer labels, others are just unbranded but they all do the same job. I've found them to be good for driving in as well. When I break or lose them - don't care! Having said that, I'm presently using a pair that has lasted well over 2 years.

If you prefer polarized ones, they have those for about 100Baht as I recall.

[QPRFC]

Boots the chemist

 

If you buy sunglasses that are not actually UVA + UVB protected (even though some knock-offs have a sticker on them claiming), you will actually cause more damage to your eyes than not wearing sunglasses at all.

Because your retinas open up under darker conditions and thus allow for more harmful rays to penetrate.

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Ray Bans, overrated and grossly overpriced. 

Just paying for a name.

I'm guessing that 20% (ish) of the cost is for the name, the other 80% is because they are very good and provide the right level of protection.  There is a reason that they are the number one choice for most aviators and mariners and have a US contract to provide sun glasses to combat aviators and troops.  

[PJPom]

Rayban are good but because I need prescription lenses Zeiss Umbral are the best for me. Now comes the problem of sourcing them in Thailand, also Safila now class my favourite frames as classic so impossible to get.

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Never flew with anything but Ray Bans, clearer and sharper than anything else I could buy. 

I'd never trust anything but AO when I'm flying.

[sead]

I would say ,wait for sales. Depends on what type you are.  I stopped buying expensive sunglasses 20 years ago because i would always scratch or loose them. Now I'm always buying cheap ones in markets.  The difference is big and you don get the same quality, but I haven't got an heart attack in 20 years loosing my 60bht glasses. 

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

I'm guessing that 20% (ish) of the cost is for the name, the other 80% is because they are very good and provide the right level of protection.  There is a reason that they are the number one choice for most aviators and mariners and have a US contract to provide sun glasses to combat aviators and troops.  

"There is a reason that they...have a US contract to provide sun glasses to combat aviators and troops".  

Sure is, cost (and the bung).

Edited July 14, 2019 by Just Weird

[hidbehindthesofa]

No self respecting Thai would even consider carrying out any welding without his trusty pair of Ray Bans . . .

[Shadychris]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I'm guessing that 20% (ish) of the cost is for the name, the other 80% is because they are very good and provide the right level of protection.  There is a reason that they are the number one choice for most aviators and mariners and have a US contract to provide sun glasses to combat aviators and troops.  

But then again Americans on the whole are rather gullible and easily duped.... 

[transam]

3 hours ago, QPRFC said:

Boots the chemist

 

If you buy sunglasses that are not actually UVA + UVB protected (even though some knock-offs have a sticker on them claiming), you will actually cause more damage to your eyes than not wearing sunglasses at all.

Because your retinas open up under darker conditions and thus allow for more harmful rays to penetrate.

Retinas open up...?

[petemoss]

6 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Never flew with anything but Ray Bans, clearer and sharper than anything else I could buy. 

I never wear anything else but Ray Bans, I value my eyes too much. I also find that, when driving, they cut out less light but still afford maximum protection.

 

Far more expensive in Thailand than the UK or, I would imagine, the US. Recently bought a pair (top of the range Aviators) for 2800 baht (£70) on Amazon UK. The exchange rate is killing me so another good reason to buy them in the UK.

[pacovl46]

Ray Ban is considerably more expensive in Thailand than in Europe for example. The pair I bought cost me 90 Euro on amazon and in the store they wanted 8 or 9000 Baht for it, which was almost 200 Euro back then.

 

Depending on what the income tax on sunglasses in Thailand is, if you have to pay it at all, you might still be off cheaper if your order them online and have them sent to you.

 

I definitely wouldn’t buy fake or potentially fake sunglasses on the street if i was you because if there is no UV protection you will damage your eyes a lot lore than without sunglasses because your pupils will dilate due to the tint which allows more light to get into your eyes.

[Youlike]

8 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Big C do fantastic Polaroid glasses for 300 Baht. I have been using them for years. When I am flying my plane I have found them better than Ray Bans.

Pilots don't use polaroid cause it gives strange effects with the polarised windscreen.

[meand]

The problem is, sure if you go to Siam Paragon or something similar, I am sure you will not get aa fake pair. But, you are paying way too much, and at least as far as I am concerned it is never 100% over here you are getting a real pair. So you always have that looming after your purchase. 

[Caine]

The sunglasses shop

[petemoss]

20 minutes ago, meand said:

The problem is, sure if you go to Siam Paragon or something similar, I am sure you will not get aa fake pair. But, you are paying way too much, and at least as far as I am concerned it is never 100% over here you are getting a real pair. So you always have that looming after your purchase. 

Easy to tell if Ray Bans are fake or not.

[federico]

8 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Ray Bans, overrated and grossly overpriced. 

Just paying for a name.

right, paying for a name and B&L lenses

[petemoss]

10 minutes ago, federico said:

right, paying for a name and B&L lenses

No longer B&L. Now Luxottica.